Folding car-step.



H. F. SCHRAGE. FOLDING CAR STEP.

APPLICATION FIL'ED DEC. 24. 1914.

Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

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Mw rin/55s 5 H. F. SCHRAGL FOLDING cAR STEP.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 24, |914. Lpjlm Patented Apr. 113, 1915.

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Y .Imm lum- ,W/ m/fssfs M/ 570/? H. F. SCHRALjt. FOLDING CAR STEP.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 24. 1914.

W/T/VE'SS'S I /Q -7/ H. F. SCHRAGE.

vFOLDING CAR STEP.

APPLICATION FILED 0512.24, 1914.

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FOLDING CAR-STEP.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 24, 1914. Serial No. 8781,912.

lllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in FoldingCar-Steps, of which the fol.i owing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in folding car steps for railwaycars, has for its object to produce an auxiliaryt step of this classhinged to the lower end of a stepway of a car platform and connected toand operated by a trap door which normally closes the upper end of thestepway and which is hinged'to the door of the vestibule of the car.

The invention is simple in .-construction, positive and elicent inoperation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists inthe combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter fullydescribed in the following specification, pointed out in the claims andillustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part of saidspecification and in which- Figure 1 is an end view of a vestibuledrailway car with the platform and stepway in section and provided withmy improved folding step. Fig. 2 is a similarview with the vestibuledoor open. Fig. 3 is a side view of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is-a plan" view ofthe rod socket employed. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary View of the rod showingits enlarged end. Fig. 6 is a side elevation, of one section of thesocket shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a front view of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is aView of the opposite end of the rod of Fig. 5 and its connections. Fig.9 is a plan view of Fig. 8. Fig. 1Y0 is an end view of the auxiliarystep. Fig. 11 is a section taken on line 11-11 of Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is anenlarged fragmentary portion of the slotted trap door-and connecpions.Fig. 13 is a vertical section through Like reference characters indicatecorresponding parts throughout the several views.

rllhe reference numeral 1 designates the end wall of a vestibuledrailway car, 2 the platform, 3 the stepway and 4y the door of thevestibule. To the door 4 a trap door 5 slotted longitudinally at 5a ishinged as at 6 so that it may be moved through an arc of approximately90 degrees when the door 4 is closed and whenV the trap door is inclosed position it closes the upper end of .the stepway. rllhetrap dooris provided with a hand ring 7 by means of which it may be moved. A2-piece plate 8 is fastened to a T-block 8a that rides in the slottedportion 5a of trap door 5 and the same carries a 2--piece bearing 9which serves as a cup for the enlarged end 10 of a pitman 11, the cupand end 10 forming a ball and socket joint. The opposite end of thepitman 11 -is fastened by means of a clamp 12 toa 2-piece socket 13adapted to releasably retain the enlarged end 14 of a gooseneck lever 15which is pivotally hung at 16 in a bearing 17 secured to a riser and oneof the steps of the stepway; the other end of said gooseneck leverpivotally carries a pitman 18 which terminally carries a'pivot 19 thatis slidably disposed in the cam-recessed portion 20, 20b of auxiliarystep 21, said step being hinged as at 22 to the lower end of thestepway. A. plate 21a secured as at 21b tothe auxiliary step is slottedat 20c and formed with a shoulder 20d. The recess 20 is slightly curvedwhile the recess 20b is greatly curved. To/the plate 21a a spring 23 issecured as at 24E.- and said spring passes between guide pint-"25 and`extends as at 26, 27 across the central channel 20c near one end of thesame. Another spring 28 secured to plate 21a at 29 passes between 'guidepins 3 0 and extends across the channel 20 near its opposite end.

Operation ln Fig. 1 of the drawingsthe full lines show the step andconnections in closed or. inoperative position. rll`he vestibule door isclosed and the trap door down. 'l[o throw the step into operativeposition raten-tea api-.ia rais.

(shown in dotted lines) the trap door is raised by the hand ring'7 until4it stands against the back of the door 4 and this operation will movethe gooseneck lever into the position shown in dotted lines and thepitman 18 will press the pin 19 against the slottedportion of the plate21a but the pin 19 coming in contact with the spring 28 will not bepermitted to pass through the portion 20 but will be deflected into theslotted portion 20b and as it. rides through this porlever 18 will pullupon the pivot 19 which.

must travel back to its original position through the'channeled portion20, as contact with spring 23 will not permit it to do otherwise., thusmoving the step 2l back upon its hinge. 22 into inoperative position.

What isclaimed is 1. The combination with the stepway and door of avestibulod railway coach, of a trap door hingedto said door and adaptedwhen closed to close said stepway, an auxiliary step hinged to the lowerstep of said step- Way and connection between said door, step- Way andauxiliary step whereby movement of said door will operate to move saidauxiliary step and to osition it' operatively as said door is openeci).

2. The combination with the stepway and door of a vestibuled railwaycoach, of a trap door hinged-to said door and adapted when closed toclose said stepway, a pitman connected to said door, a goose neck leverswiveled to said pitman and pivotally connected to said stepway,another, pitman pivotall connected to said gooseneck lever, an auXi iary-step hinged to the last step in said stepway, a slotted plate securedto said auxiliary step and. a pivot carried by said last named pitmanand disposed in the slotted. portion o said plate whereby the same maybe moved into and out of operative"position.

3. The combination with the stepway and door of a yestibuledrailwaypoach, of a trap door'hingefl to said door and adapted whenclosed to close said stepway, a pitman connec-ted to said door,agooseneck lever Vposed in the slotted portion of said plate and springssecured to said plate and extending across one end of each of said slotsto deflect said pivot into the opposite slot.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixedmy signa.- ture in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERMAN F. vSCHRAGE.

Witnesses i LOUIS SCHRAGE, MARVIN Summon.

